The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1887-04-30
THE JUVENILE TIMES-UNION.
Comments of Our Contemporaries on I'll
Weak-Ninded Editorial
"OfIice Holders and Politics"


Hon. BENJAMIN Harrison is post
master at Palatka and Is consequently
Federal office holder" Hon. benjamin
Harrison is also one OF the pro-
prietors of THE PALATKA DAILY
NEWS. and. although his name does not
appear at the head of the editorial de-
partment. he frequently and perhaps
constantly contributes to the editorial
columns of THE NEWS. The articles
which come from Mr.. Harrisons pen,
and more especially those which deal
with State politics, are distinguished
for dignity. force and fairness,
and are well calculated to eie-
waite the tone and character of politics
in Florida. The Herald differs frequent
ly from THE NEWS, and is at present
fighting it most vigorously upon dlvis-
ZION of State politics, but the Herald con-
cedeS to its esteemed contemporary hon
esty of conviction, purity of notice, and
dignity of method, and even in contro-
versy, rejOices that the other side is suS-
tanned by such arguments as are likely
TO be beneficial in their expression to the
best interests of the State, even if they
are mistaken in the application made.
We have said this much in protest
against the pusillanimOus and contempt
BILE argument which the Times Union
makes against Mr.. Harrison this morn
ing. accompanying the same with the
threat To report Mr.. Harrison to the
President for violating the Civil Service
rules by taking an active interest in
politics THE NEWS has ably sustained
itself in controversy with the Times
Union, and has fearlessly exposed the
fallacies and selfishness of that paper.
Failing to crush The News by argument
and repartee. the editor of the Times
Union stoOps to the ungenerous and
pitiable subterfuge of appealing to the
President to silence voice which IL has
learned To dread. The history of South
ern journalism has recorded nothing
smaller than this act.
Let the Times Union appeal to the
President The Herald Will stand by
with the manly argument for Mr.. Har-
rison. The Herald is incomparably
better Democrat than the Times Union.
liz Is infinitely a sincerer advocate of
| Civil Service reform, and a much more
disintereSted friend To the President.
MIR Harrison has Joined himself to no
| lobby used no unworthy means, and
uttered mol one single TOTd Of abuse
/ aiuiI,St any man becduSe he supported
| BIoIhGm. lie. has boldly and frankly
/ and ably stated his public convictions,
with decency and fairness in the open
| columns of "A reputable newspaper. This
| Is the height of his offending. If this Is
/ a violation of the Civil Service law, then
| we. who have advocated it, will uhesi-
| tatingly pronounce it an absurdity- Ii
| the holding of a federal office is To stop a
| citizen of this republican government
| from the free expression of his honest
| opinions ON public questions, then We
say that otiice-holding is a species of sla-
very. and must be- left To servings and
| knaves.
The threat of the Times Union is alb
surd The President will commit To the
| merited obscurity of the wase-basket
any complaint SO silly and weak as that
promised By the editor of the Times
| Union. BENZ. Harrison Is not the man
To be silenced by threat.
But it is just like his small antagonist
| To- MAKE. it.